Brassiere construction



Sept. 27, 1938.

A. s. BECKER ET AL BRASSIERE CONSTRUCTION Filed June 9, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 27, 1938.

' A.S.BECKER ETAL BRASSIERE CONSTRUCTION Filed June 9, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept.

UNITED, STATES PATENT orricr. I 2,131,213 I mssman coNsraUo'rroN' Abraham 8. Becker and Zelta M. Andrus. rm Angeles, Calif., assignora to'Beautee-Flt Oompany, Inc., Los Angelou, CaliL, corporation of California Application June a, 1931, set-iii No.1,278 Y.

1 Claim.

This invention relates to anew and novel construction of a brassire or other garment adapted to cover and support the breasts, the construction being particularly adapted to permit free- 5 dom of movement and at the same time properly support the breasts, the various elements entering into the construction of the garment being so correlated that strains and stresses imposed on the garment while the wearer is exercising or caused by vigorous movements of the arms and shoulders will permit the garment to remain in position over the breasts without discomfort or binding and without permitting the bust to slip out of position or from beneath the garment.

Ordinarily, brassieres are constructed of breastreceiving pockets, these pockets being made of one or more pieces so designed as to form a concavity adaptedto receive the breast and mold it to the desired form, these pockets being joined together either directly or by means of a sternum piece. In prior constructions, strains imposed upon a shoulder strap above one breast were not transmitted to the adjoining breast in such manner as to facilitate its support or maintenance within its pocket. The present invention contemplates a construction in which portions of one breast-receiving pocket extend downwardly and become a part of the pocket adapted to receive the adjoining breast, these portions being so arranged and designed that when a strain is imposed upon the shoulder strap above one breast, such strain is translated into a suitable supporting movement of the entire bottom portion of the garment overlying the lower portion of the adjoining breast.

Moreover, in prior constructions the lower portions of the two breast-receiving pockets were not movable with respect to each other, the two pockets being firmly attached together, as stated here- 40 inabove, either along a vertical median line or to a sternum piece. In the construction of this invention, however, not only is the bottom portion of one breast-receiving pocket mechanically and structurally related to the upper portion of the 45 adjacent pocket but in addition the lower portions of the two breast-receiving pockets are yieldingly movable with respect to each other, thereby permitting the two pockets to readilyadapt themselves to various bodily movements without slip- 00 ping or movement of the garment on the body.

An object of this invention, therefore is to provide a garment adapted to cover, support and mold the bust comfortably and without undue binding immediately below the breast, chafing, or

55 the like.

Another object is to disclose and provide a garment constructed in such manner that the lower portions of the bust-receiving pockets are movable with respect to each other.

A further object is to provide a garment adapt- 5 ed to cover, support and mold the bust, the garment including two breast-receiving pockets, the upper portion of each pocket being: associated with the lower porion of an adjacent pocket so that strains applied to the upper portion of one 10 pocket are suitably translated into a supporting movement of the adjacent pocket.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of II illustrative forms of the invention.

Although in the subsequent detailed-description reference is particularly made to brassieres per se, it is to be understood that the invention may be embodied in other garments adapted to cover the 2 bust and at the same time extend downwardly over the torso.

For purposes of illustration, wever, reference will be made to the appended rawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a three-quarter ont view of one form 25 of garment in posit n upon the body.

Fig. 2 is a iron view of one form of garment.

Fig. 31s a vertical section taken along the plane III-III of Fig. 1 1

Fig. 4 diagram atically illustrates the shape 30 of elements used 1 constructing one-half of the garment.

Fig. 5 is a front view of a modified form of the device embodying this invention.

By referring to the drawings, and particularly 35 Figs. 1 to 4 thereof, it will be seen that in the form of garment illustrated two breast-receiving pockets are provided, these being generally indicated at A and B. The breast-receiving pocket A includes an upper portion l0 adapted to cover the upper part of the breast, and a section II adapted to cover the lower portion of the breast. The upper portion In is provided with a downwardly directed extension II. The portions l0 and II are cut as indicated in Fig. 4, these two portions being joined together along the edge I3 of the portion 10 and the edge 14 of section H so as to form a pocket provided with an apex at about the point IS. The seam resulting from the connection between the portions III and I I, therefore, traverses the nipple in a downwardly and inwardly directed manner. The extension l2 may be integral with the upper portion III or it may be a separate piece, as shown in Fig. 4. At all events, the extension I! is narrower than the 56 upper portion l0. When the extension is a separate piece attached to the upper portion, the edges of the portions Hi and I! which are attached to each other,'are preferably concave, as shown at l0 and I2, so that any pull exerted along the members l0 and I2 is not localized at the edges of such member but instead is distributed over the entire width of the members. Furthermore, by reason of the method of attachment shown (whereby the edges of the members l0 and I2 are longer than middle portions thereof) the combined members (such as l0 and its extension l2) have a tendency to become concave when applied to the body, as particularly shown in Fig. 3, so that close contact of such members with the body of the wearer between the breasts is attained. The adjoining breast-receiving pocket B is also provided with an upper portion l6 and a lower section II, the upper portion I6 being provided with a downwardly directed extension l8. The downwardly directed extension I2 of the'upper portion I0 is attached to and becomes the bottom or lower border of the adjoining breast-receiving pocket B, whereas the extension l8 of the upper portion I6 is attached to and becomes the bottom of the breast-receiving pocket A. These two members If] and I 6 overlap in a zone between the breast-receiving pockets and at such zone the portions l0 and i 6 need not be and preferably are unconnected to one another.

Suitable underarm portions 22 and 23 are attached to the sides of the garment so as to terminate at the sides of the back or completely across the back. As shown in Fig. 2, the members 22 and 23 terminate at the sides of the back, an elastic member 24 provided with suitable closure means being used in connecting thebrassire ends to each other at the back. Shoulder straps 25 and 26 extend upwardly from the upper portions i0 and I6 respectively, the other ends of such shoulder straps being attached to the underarm portions 22 and 23 respectively at the sides of the back.

By referring to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the portions l2 and I8 are unconnected, the portion l2 blending into the portion I0 whereas' the portion l8 forms the bottom or lower border of that section of the breast-receiving pocket A which covers the lower portion of the breast. The extensions l2 and iii are narrower than the upper portions i0 and I6 respectively so that said extensions lie fiat against the body beneath the bust, such extensions tending to retain the bust in the pockets A and B. When the wearer has an unusually large bust, however, such extensions may curve outwardly to actually cover the lower sections of the bust and thereby become a part of the upper pocket and in such case only the lower edge of the extensions lies flat against the body and acts to retain the bust within the pocket.

As a result of the construction shown, any strain or pull on the shoulder strap 25 is transmitted by the member I0 and its extension l2 to the lower portion of the breast-receiving pocket B, the end of the extension l2 lying well beyond the apex of the pocket B and preferably to the side of the pocket B so that the upward tension on the strap 25 is converted into an uplifting movement of the entire pocket B from the bottom edges thereof. Similar translation of forces occurs between strap 26 and the extension i8 of the portion l6.

In this manner an unusual upward pull on the shoulder strap 25 will not cause the pocket A to move upwardly and over the breast contained therein so as to expose the-breast from beneath the brassiere. The free overlapping relation of the members III and II and their extensions produces a scissors-like action on the zone ofover lapping between the breasts, facilitating independent movementand a comfortable lit at all times.

It is to be understood that although a particular form of brassiere has been described in detail, the invention is not limited to any specific form of construction in so far as the individual breast-receiving pockets are concerned. In other words, the lower portion of the brase siere, i. e., that portion adapted to cover the lower portion of the breast, may be made from one, two or more pieces of material cut in any desired manner. The garment may, of course, be made of any suitable material such as satin, lace, net, or the like. The extensions l2 and I! may fgurthermore be made of elastic material if des red.

The gist of the present construction lies in that a portion of one breast-receiving pocket, said portion being adapted to cover the upper part of the breast contained in such pocket, is provided with an extension which is connected to and becomes a part of the bottom of the adjoining pocket.

A modified form of construction is shown in Fig. 5. As there shown. the breast-receiving pockets A and B are correlated in a manner similar to that described hereinabove. The major portion of the pocket A, for example, consists of a member 30 provided with a dart 3| terminating at 32, thereby forming an apex at such point. The upper portion 33, adapted to cover the upper portion of the breast to be received in pocket A, is provided with a downwardly directed extension 34 which is attached to the section 30' of the pocket B. The portion 33, adaptedv to cover the upper portion of the breast to be received in pocket B, is provided with a downwardly directed extension 34' which is in turn connected to the lower portion of the pocket A. The extensions 34 and 34' terminate at the outer sides of the pockets'A and B; where these two extensions 34 and 34' cross, as at C, they may be connected to one another or left free. In the garment shown. these members 34 and 34' may be connected at the zone C and further connected to each other as by means of a strip of elastic material 35 substantially in line with the lower edges of the two breast-receiving pockets.

Shoulder straps 36 and 31 are attached to the upper portions 33 and 33' respectively and suitable underarm members 33 and 39 are attached to the outside edges of the pockets. Even though the overlapping members 34 and 34' are connected to each other at the zone C, they still permit the bottom portions of the two breast-receiving pockets A and B to move relatively to each other. The main connecting strip 35 is elastic. While in the embodiment shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the line of connection between the upper portion and the lower portion of each pocket traverses the nipple, a similar line of connection in the garment shown in Fig. 5 traverses a zone beneath the; nipple. The width of the member 33, however, should be appreciable in order to permit the lower extension thereof to suitable support and exert the desired action upon the lower portion of the'adjoining breast-receiving pocket.

We claim:

In a garment adapted to receive and cover the bust, the combination of a pair of breast-receiving pockets, each comprising: a middle member provided with an upper edge inclined downwardly toward the opposite pocket and adapted to cover the lower section of the breast, an upper member adapted to cover the upper section of the breast and connected to the upper edge of said middle member, said upper member originating virtually below the arm of the wearer and having an upper edge extending upwardly to a point above the apex of the breast-receiving pocket and then downwardly toward the adjacent pocket, and a relatively narrow border member attached to the lower edge of the middle member; said upper member decreasing in width toward the adjacent pocket and continuing as a narrow border member of said adjoining pocket;

the upper members and their narrow extensions crossing each other in the region of the sternum, an underarm portion connected to the side of each of said breast-receiving pockets, and closure means adapted to connect said underarm portions at the back of the wearer.

ABRAHAM S. BECKER. ZELTA M. ANDRUS. 

